An effective technique for decreasing discipline problems is to devote more time in role playing procedures.

In such a training, a teacher demonstrates step by step how to follow their instructions prior to the time they actually are expected to follow directions. Preparing clear steps and reminders to students for classroom procedures enables them to perform successfully and takes away all the ambiguity that is often associated with complying with various expectations.

The objective is to teach acceptable behavior in specific situations when students might not know exactly what is expected of them.

What a teacher does before misbehavior occurs largely determines whether or not it will even occur.

When briefing students, a positive attitude is maintained, and the teacher approaches the situation from the standpoint of “what students need to learn and what they can expect to happen.”

Then the teacher takes positive action to emphasize what students should do rather than what they should not do.

As a parent I found that training your kids for going to bed prior to actually going to bed got better results than going to bed and attempting to teach how to do bedtime when you re tired and short on patience. Children can learn to do the super market as well prior to going shopping. (Like requesting certain types of food and letting them know what choices are theirs to make and what are the parent s responsibilities.) Kids can learn to do various classroom procedures and the specific steps by this type of training and you ll see less discipline problems. Count on it!

– Gene Bedley